Image processing apparatus, computer readable medium, and image processing method

ABSTRACT

An image processing apparatus includes an image output apparatus and an image reading apparatus. The image output apparatus includes an input object information receiving unit that receives first input object information, a first information image generating unit that generates a first information image, a second information image generating unit that generates a second information image, a first combining unit that combines the first information image with a document, a second combining unit that combines the second information image with a document, and a first output unit that outputs the document. The image reading apparatus includes a first reading unit that reads an information image including first input object information, a second reading unit that reads an information image including second input object information, an extracting unit that extracts the first and second input object information, and a determining unit that determines whether these pieces of information correspond to each other.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 fromJapanese Patent Application No. 2011-009987 filed Jan. 20, 2011.

BACKGROUND

(i) Technical Field

The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, acomputer readable medium, and an image processing method.

(ii) Related Art

There are technologies related to a configuration of an informationimage placed on a recording medium and control of reading informationwritten on a recording medium on which an information image is placed.

SUMMARY

According to an aspect of the invention, there is provided an imageprocessing apparatus including an image output apparatus and an imagereading apparatus. The image output apparatus includes an input objectinformation receiving unit that receives first input object information,which is information about an input object in a document, a firstinformation image generating unit that generates a first informationimage, which is an image representing information, on the basis of thefirst input object information received by the input object informationreceiving unit, a second information image generating unit thatgenerates a second information image, which is an image representinginformation, on the basis of position information representing aposition in the document and second input object informationcorresponding to the first input object information received by theinput object information receiving unit, a first combining unit thatcombines the first information image generated by the first informationimage generating unit with the document, a second combining unit thatcombines the second information image generated by the secondinformation image generating unit with a document, and a first outputunit that outputs the document combined with the first information imageby the first combining unit and the document combined with the secondinformation image by the second combining unit onto respective media, orthat outputs a document combined with the first information image andthe second information image onto a medium. The image reading apparatusincludes a first reading unit that reads an information image that hasbeen output onto a medium by the image output apparatus and thatincludes first input object information, a second reading unit thatreads an information image that has been output onto a medium by theimage output apparatus and that includes position information and secondinput object information, an extracting unit that analyzes theinformation image read by the first reading unit and the informationimage read by the second reading unit, thereby extracting the firstinput object information and the second input object information, and adetermining unit that compares the first input object information andthe second input object information extracted by the extracting unit,thereby determining whether or not the second input object informationcorresponds to the first input object information.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Exemplary embodiment(s) of the present invention will be described indetail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a conceptual module configuration diagram illustrating anexample configuration of an image output apparatus according to anexemplary embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed bythe image output apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment;

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example systemconfiguration for realizing the exemplary embodiment;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams illustrating an example of anelectronic document and a document-with-information-image;

FIGS. 5A and 5B are explanatory diagrams illustrating an example of anelectronic document and a document-with-information-image;

FIGS. 6A and 6B are explanatory diagrams illustrating an example of adocument-with-information-image;

FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example data structureof an input field/input object information table;

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example data structureof a document/page/input object information table;

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example data structureof a document/input object information table;

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example data structureof a document layout table;

FIGS. 11A to 11C are explanatory diagrams illustrating an example of aninformation image;

FIG. 12 is a conceptual module configuration diagram illustrating anexample configuration of an image reading apparatus (1) according to theexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a first example of processingperformed by the image reading apparatus (1) according to the exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a first example structureof a digital pen;

FIG. 15 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example data structureof a stroke information table;

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example data structureof an input object information table;

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a second example of processingperformed by the image reading apparatus (1) according to the exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a third example of processingperformed by the image reading apparatus (1) according to the exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a fourth example of processingperformed by the image reading apparatus (1) according to the exemplaryembodiment;

FIG. 20 is a conceptual module configuration diagram illustrating anexample configuration of an image reading apparatus (2) according to theexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performedby a reader of the image reading apparatus (2) according to theexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performedby a digital pen of the image reading apparatus (2) according to theexemplary embodiment;

FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a second examplestructure of the digital and an example structure of the reader;

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example data structureof input object information; and

FIG. 25 is a block diagram illustrating an example hardwareconfiguration of a computer that realizes the exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Hereinafter, various exemplary embodiments of the present invention willbe described with reference to the attached drawings.

FIG. 1 is a conceptual module configuration diagram illustrating anexample configuration of an image output apparatus according to anexemplary embodiment.

In general, “modules” are components of software (computer program) orhardware that may be logically separated from one another. Accordingly,the modules according to the exemplary embodiment correspond to not onlymodules in a computer program but also modules in a hardwareconfiguration. Therefore, the description of the exemplary embodimentincludes a description of a computer program for causing a computer tofunction as those modules (a program for causing a computer to executeindividual program steps, a program for causing a computer to functionas individual units, or a program for causing a computer to realizeindividual functions), a system, and a method. For the convenience ofdescription, expressions “store”, “cause . . . to store”, andexpressions equivalent thereto will be used. These expressionsspecifically mean “cause a storage device to store” or “perform controlto cause a storage device to store” in the case of a computer program.The modules may correspond to functions in a one-to-one relationship. Interms of packaging, a single module may be constituted by a singleprogram, plural modules may be constituted by a single program, or asingle module may be constituted by plural programs. Also, pluralmodules may be executed by a single computer, or a single module may beexecuted by plural computers in a distributed or parallel environment.Alternatively, a single module may include another module. Hereinafter,“connection” is used to refer to a logical connection (transmission andreception of data, an instruction, a reference relationship betweenpieces of data, etc.), as well as a physical connection. “Predetermined”means being determined before a certain operation, and includes themeaning of being determined in accordance with a present situation/stateor in accordance with a previous situation/state before a certainoperation after processing according to the exemplary embodiment starts,as well as before processing according to the exemplary embodimentstarts.

A system or apparatus may be realized by plural computers, hardwareunits, devices, or the like connected to one another via a communicationmedium, such as a network (including communication connections having aone-to-one correspondence), or may be realized by a single computer,hardware unit, device, or the like. “Apparatus” and “system” are usedsynonymously. Of course, “system” does not include a man-made social“organization” (social system).

Also, target information is read from a storage device in individualprocessing operations performed by respective modules or in individualprocessing operations performed by a single module. After eachprocessing operation has ended, the processing result thereof is writteninto the storage device. Thus, a description of reading from the storagedevice before a processing operation and writing into the storage deviceafter a processing operation will be omitted. Here, examples of thestorage device include a hard disk, a random access memory (RAM), anexternal storage medium, a storage device connected through acommunication line, a register in a central processing unit (CPU), andthe like.

The image processing apparatus (image output apparatus) according to theexemplary embodiment combines an information image with a document andoutputs a resulting object. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the image outputapparatus includes an input object information receiving module 110, adocument layout receiving module 120, a document receiving module 130,an information image generating module 140, an information imagecombining module 150, and an output module 160.

The information image is an image code that is systematically createdfor representing electronic data in a machine readable manner. Aspecific example thereof will be described below with reference to FIGS.11A to 11C.

The document receiving module 130 is connected to the information imagecombining module 150. The document receiving module 130 receives adocument to be combined with an information image, and supplies thedocument to the information image combining module 150. Here, thedocument includes text data, electronic data of figures and images insome cases, or a combination of text data and electronic data. Thedocument is a target of outputting (e.g., printing), storing, editing,searching, and so forth, may be transmitted/received as an independentunit between systems or users, and includes equivalents thereof.Examples of receiving a document include receiving an electronicdocument created using a document creating application, reading an imageusing a scanner, camera, or the like, receiving an image using afacsimile machine or the like from an external device via acommunication line, and reading an electronic document stored in a harddisk or the like (including a hard disk incorporated into the imageprocessing apparatus and a hard disk connected to the image processingapparatus via a network). An image of the document may either be abinary image or a multilevel image (including a color image). The numberof pages of received images may either be one or plural.

The number of received documents may either be one or plural. Examplesof plural documents include document A and document B. Document A is adocument which has a region showing an input object (hereinafterreferred to as an object region), and is a document combined with aninformation image embedded with information about an input object (firstinput object information). More specifically, document A corresponds tothe documents illustrated in FIGS. 4A, 4B, and 6A (described below). Onthe other hand, document B is a document which has an input region (alsoreferred to as an input field) corresponding to the foregoing inputobject, and is a document combined with an information image embeddedwith input object information corresponding to the first input objectinformation (second input object information). More specifically,document B corresponds to the documents illustrated in FIGS. 5A, 5B, and6B (described below). In the case of a single document, the document iscombined with the foregoing two information images (the informationimage embedded with the first input object information and theinformation image embedded with the second input object information).

In the case of plural documents, the following combination of documentsis available: a question sheet (document A) and an answer sheet(document B); a sticker having a device management number printedthereon (document A) and a maintenance log (document B); etc. DocumentsA (question sheet, sticker, etc.) have an object region. Documents B(answer sheet, maintenance log, etc.) have an input field in whichinformation is to be manually written by a user. In the case of a singledocument, examples of the document include a sheet including bothquestions and answer fields, a sticker including the content of amaintenance log, etc. Typically, an input field is a rectangular regiondefined by a line. Alternatively, the input field may be a regiondefined by parentheses, or may be a blank region without a definitepartition. The blank region may be a blank region having a predeterminedarea or more, or may be an entire page or an entire document formed ofplural pages. The information input to the input field may becharacters, symbols such as a tick, figures, or the like as long as theinformation is written using a digital pen (writing tool) describedbelow.

Hereinafter, a description will be given of the case of handling pluraldocuments (document A and document B). Alternatively, a single documentconstituted by a combination of document A and document B may beapplied.

The document layout receiving module 120 is connected to the informationimage generating module 140. The document layout receiving module 120receives information about the layout of a document received by thedocument receiving module 130, and supplies the layout information tothe information image generating module 140. Here, the layoutinformation includes at least information representing the position andsize of a region having an input object described therein (objectregion) in the case of document A, and includes at least informationrepresenting the position and size of an input field in the case ofdocument B. Alternatively, the layout information may includeinformation representing the positions and sizes of a region having aninput object described therein and document components (title,paragraph, figure, table, etc.) other than the input field.

The input object information receiving module 110 is connected to theinformation image generating module 140. The input object informationreceiving module 110 receives first input object information, which isinformation about an input object in a document. Also, the input objectinformation receiving module 110 may receive second input objectinformation. Alternatively, the input object information receivingmodule 110 may receive first input object information and then generatesecond input object information using the first input objectinformation.

Here, the first input object information (input object informationembedded in an information image combined with document A) may beinformation about an input object (in the foregoing examples, a questioncorresponding to an answer field, a device represented by a managementnumber corresponding to the maintenance log, that is, content to beinput is information about an input object) in a case where theinformation is input using a writing tool. Specifically, the followinginformation corresponds to the first input object information.

(A1) The first input object information may be identificationinformation that uniquely identifies an input object in document A inthe system illustrated in FIG. 3 (described below). For example, aquestion number corresponds thereto in the case of a question sheet, anda management number corresponds thereto the case of the foregoingsticker.

(A2) The first input object information may be information representingattributes of an input object in document A (name, date and time ofcreation, size, position, etc.).

(A3) The first input object information may be document identificationinformation that uniquely identifies document A in the systemillustrated in FIG. 3. For example, document identifiers (IDs)correspond thereto, such as a uniform resource identifier (URI) and auniform resource locator (URL).

(A4) The first input object information may be page identificationinformation that uniquely identifies a page of document A in the systemillustrated in FIG. 3. For example, a combination of a document ID and apage number corresponds thereto.

(A5) The first input object information may be identificationinformation that uniquely identifies an input field to which an inputobject is to be input in the system illustrated in FIG. 3. Theidentification information about an input field may be theabove-described pieces of information (A1) to (A4) for an input field.

(A6) The first input object information may include predeterminedinformation representing that an input object is not specified.Hereinafter, such information will be referred to as “ANY”.

(A7) The first input object information may be a combination of thesepieces of information (a combination using a logical operator, such asAND, OR, NOT, etc.).

As for specification of the first input object information,specification using a mouse, keyboard, touch panel, or the like of auser may be received. Alternatively, first input object information thatis predetermined in each field may be received.

The second input object information may be information corresponding tothe first input object information. Examples of the second input objectinformation are as follows.

(B1) The second input object information may be the first input objectinformation itself. That is, determining whether or not the first inputobject information and the second input object information correspond toeach other means determining whether or not both have the same value.

(B2) In a case where the first input object information has ahierarchical structure, the second input object information is inputobject information that is in the lower layer of or in the same layer asthe first input object information. That is, determining whether or notthe first input object information and the second input objectinformation correspond to each other means determining whether or notthe first input object information is in the upper layer of or in thesame layer as the second input object information and the second inputobject information is in the lower layer of or in the same layer as thefirst input object information in the hierarchical structure.

(B3) In a case where the first input object information is a set, thesecond input object information is input object information included inthe first input object information. That is, determining whether or notthe first input object information and the second input objectinformation correspond to each other means determining whether or notthe second input object information is included in the set of the firstinput object information.

(B4) In a case where the first input object information is “ANY” andwhere the second input object information is “ANY”, the correspondencein the above-described form (B1) is applied. In a case where the firstinput object information is “ANY” and where the second input objectinformation is none, it is determined that the second input objectinformation corresponds to the first input object information. In a casewhere the first input object information is “ANY” and where the secondinput object information is information other than “ANY” (informationother than none, that is, second input object information correspondingto any first input object information), it is determined that the secondinput object information does not correspond to the first input objectinformation. In this case, “a user is going to input information into aregion where an input object is specified” although “an input object isnot specified”.

(B5) The form of correspondence between the first input objectinformation and the second input object information may be a combinationof the above-described forms (a combination using a logical operator,such as AND, OR, NOT, etc.).

As for specification of the second input object information,specification using a mouse, keyboard, touch panel, or the like of auser may be received. Alternatively, second input object informationthat is predetermined in each field may be received. Also, the secondinput object information may be generated using the first input objectinformation.

The information image generating module 140 is connected to the inputobject information receiving module 110, the document layout receivingmodule 120, and the information image combining module 150. Theinformation image generating module 140 generates an information image,which is an image representing information, on the basis of positioninformation representing a position in the document received by thedocument receiving module 130 and the first input object information orsecond input object information received by the input object informationreceiving module 110. That is, the information image generating module140 generates a first information image on the basis of the first inputobject information received by the input object information receivingmodule 110. Then, the information image generating module 140 generatesa second information image, which is an image representing information,on the basis of the position information representing a position in thedocument and the second input object information corresponding to thefirst input object information received by the input object informationreceiving module 110.

The information image generating module 140 generates an informationimage to be combined into an object region or an input field using thelayout information received by the document layout receiving module 120(specifically, information representing the position and size of theobject region or input field) and the first input object information orsecond input object information. The foregoing “on the basis of” meansembedding information including at least the position information and“the first input object information or second input object information”in an information image so that the position information and “the firstinput object information or second input object information” may be readwhen the information image is analyzed. In the case of the foregoingdocument A, the position information is not always necessary, and onlythe first input object information may be used. The position informationembedded in an information image is information that enables, when theinformation image embedded with the position information thereof is readby a digital pen, the trail of the digital pen to be reproduced. Forexample, XY coordinates or the like in the document correspond to theposition information. Specifically, a set of XY coordinates in thedocument representing a region determined by the position and size ofthe object region or input field corresponds to the positioninformation.

Also, the information image generating module 140 may generate aninformation image further on the basis of document informationrepresenting a document. A document ID, a page ID, etc. correspond tothe document information. The document ID, the page ID, etc. will bedescribed below with reference to FIG. 3.

The information image combining module 150 is connected to the documentreceiving module 130, the information image generating module 140, andthe output module 160. The information image combining module 150combines an information image generated by the information imagegenerating module 140 with an object region in document A or an inputfield in document B received by the document receiving module 130. Thatis, the information image combining module 150 combines a firstinformation image generated by the information image generating module140 with a document (document A or a document including both document Aand document B). Then, the information image combining module 150combines a second information image generated by the information imagegenerating module 140 with a document (document B or a documentincluding both document A and document B).

Of course, an information image may be combined with a region other thana region where an input object is described, or a region other than aninput field. The information image combined with a region other than aregion where an input object is described, or a region other than aninput field, may include first input object information or second inputobject information “ANY”. As described above, there is a possibilitythat an entire page or an entire document is used as the input field. Inthat case, an information image including the second input objectinformation is combined with the entire page or the entire document.

The output module 160 is connected to the information image combiningmodule 150. The output module 160 outputs, onto a medium, a documentwith which an information image is combined by the information imagecombining module 150. That is, the output module 160 outputs document Acombined with a first information image by the information imagecombining module 150 and document B combined with a second informationimage by the information image combining module 150 onto respectivemedia (in this case, two media (a medium for document A and a medium fordocument B)), or outputs a document combined with the first and secondinformation images onto a medium (in this case, one medium (a medium fora document including document A and document B)). Examples of outputtinga document include printing an image using a printing apparatus such asa printer, transmitting an image using an image transmitting apparatussuch as a facsimile machine, and the like. Also, examples of outputtinga document include displaying an image on a display apparatus such as adisplay, writing an image into an image storage apparatus such as animage database, storing an image in a storage medium such as a memorycard, and supplying an image to another information processingapparatus. That is, the document is finally output onto a paper orplastic medium so that writing may be performed thereon using a digitalpen.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performed bythe image output apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment. Inthis example, document B is output. As for document A, an input fieldmay be replaced by an object region.

In step S202, the document receiving module 130 receives a targetdocument.

In step S204, the document layout receiving module 120 receives thelayout of the target document (at least the position and size of aninput field).

In step S206, the input object information receiving module 110 receivesinput object information representing an object to be input to an inputfield in the target document.

In step S208, the information image generating module 140 generates aninformation image including the position of the input field and theinput object information.

In step S210, the information image combining module 150 combines theinformation image with the input field in the target document.

In step S212, the output module 160 outputs the document with which theinformation image has been combined.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example systemconfiguration for realizing the exemplary embodiment. This systemincludes a document-creating information processing apparatus 310, adocument database (DB) 320, an information-image-generating imageprocessing apparatus 330, a digital pen 350, and a write-backinformation processing apparatus 360. In order to determine whether ornot second input object information in an information image read by thedigital pen 350 corresponds to first input object information in aninformation image that has already been read, the system may include atleast the digital pen 350. In order to output, onto a medium, a documentenabling determination of whether or not the second input objectinformation in the information image read by the digital pen 350corresponds to the first input object information in the informationimage that has already been read, the system may include at least theinformation-image-generating image processing apparatus 330.

The following processing is performed in this system. That is, aninformation image including position information (coordinateinformation) is superimposed on an electronic document, and theelectronic document is printed by the information-image-generating imageprocessing apparatus 330. The printed document is read by the digitalpen 350, which includes a compact camera, so that hand-writteninformation is accumulated as stroke information in the digital pen 350.When the digital pen 350 is connected to the write-back informationprocessing apparatus 360, such as a personal computer (PC), using auniversal serial bus (USB) or the like, a stroke information extractingmodule 362 and a write-back module 364 in the write-back informationprocessing apparatus 360 extract the stroke information from the digitalpen 350, specify the original electronic document on the basis of adocument ID, and write back the stroke information to the electronicdocument. Alternatively, the digital pen 350 may transmit the strokeinformation to the write-back information processing apparatus 360through wireless communication.

The document-creating information processing apparatus 310 includes adocument creating application 312 and an input object informationspecifying module 314, and is connected to the document DB 320 and theinformation-image-generating image processing apparatus 330.

The document creating application 312 is an application program forcreating an electronic document and causing theinformation-image-generating image processing apparatus 330 to print adocument-with-information-image 340, to which information is to be addedby hand writing.

The input object information specifying module 314 specifies first inputobject information or second input object information for an objectregion or an input field. For example, the input object informationspecifying module 314 supplies an input field/input object informationtable 700 (see FIG. 7) to the information-image-generating imageprocessing apparatus 330. Accordingly, the input object informationreceiving module 110 in the information-image-generating imageprocessing apparatus 330 receives the input field/input objectinformation table 700. FIG. 7 is an explanatory diagram illustrating anexample data structure of the input field/input object information table700. The input field/input object information table 700 includes aninput field ID column 710 and an input object information column 720.The input field ID column 710 stores object region IDs or input fieldIDs, which serve as information for uniquely identifying object regionsor input fields in the system illustrated in FIG. 3. The input objectinformation column 720 stores first input object information or secondinput object information corresponding to the object regions or inputfields.

Alternatively, the input object information specifying module 314 maysupply a document/page/input object information table 800 (see FIG. 8)to the information-image-generating image processing apparatus 330,instead of the input field/input object information table 700. In thiscase, an entire page serves as an object region or an input field, andfirst input object information or second input object information isspecified for the entire page. Accordingly, the input object informationreceiving module 110 in the information-image-generating imageprocessing apparatus 330 receives the document/page/input objectinformation table 800. FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram illustrating anexample data structure of the document/page/input object informationtable 800. The document/page/input object information table 800 includesa document ID column 810, a page ID column 820, and an input objectinformation column 830. The document ID column 810 stores document IDs,which serve as information for uniquely identifying documents in thesystem illustrated in FIG. 3. The page ID column 820 stores page IDs,which serve as information for uniquely identifying pages in therespective documents. The input object information column 830 storesfirst input object information or second input object informationcorresponding to the respective pages.

Alternatively, the input object information specifying module 314 maysupply a document/input object information table 900 (see FIG. 9) to theinformation-image-generating image processing apparatus 330, instead ofthe input field/input object information table 700. In this case, anentire document (if there are plural pages, all the plural pages) servesas an object region or an input field, and first input objectinformation or second input object information is specified for theentire document. Accordingly, the input object information receivingmodule 110 in the information-image-generating image processingapparatus 330 receives the document/input object information table 900.FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example data structureof the document/input object information table 900. The document/inputobject information table 900 includes a document ID column 910 and aninput object information column 920. The document ID column 910 storesdocument IDs, which serve as information for uniquely identifyingdocuments in the system illustrated in FIG. 3. The input objectinformation column 920 stores first input object information or secondinput object information corresponding to the respective documents.

At the time of printing a document, the document creating application312 specifies the name of the apparatus that performs printing (the nameof a printer, i.e., the name of the information-image-generating imageprocessing apparatus 330), generates a document image, supplies thedocument ID and the first input object information or second inputobject information specified by the input object information specifyingmodule 314 to the information-image-generating image processingapparatus 330, and provides an print instruction. In an informationimage printed accordingly, the first input object information or secondinput object information is embedded in each object region or inputfield. Then, the document creating application 312 causes the documentDB 320 to store the created electronic document. Also, the documentcreating application 312 supplies information about the layout of theobject regions or input fields of the target document (for example, adocument layout table 1000 illustrated in FIG. 10) to theinformation-image-generating image processing apparatus 330.Accordingly, the document layout receiving module 120 in theinformation-image-generating image processing apparatus 330 receives theinformation about the layout. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagramillustrating an example data structure of the document layout table1000. The document layout table 1000 includes an input field ID column1010, a position column 1020, a height column 1030, and a width column1040. The input field ID column 1010 stores object region IDs or inputfield IDs. The position column 1020 stores the upper-left-cornerpositions of the respective object regions or input fields, for example.The height column 1030 stores the heights of the respective objectregions or input fields. The width column 1040 stores the widths of therespective object regions or input fields.

The document DB 320 is connected to the document-creating informationprocessing apparatus 310 and the write-back information processingapparatus 360. The document DB 320 stores an electronic document createdby the document creating application 312. The write-back module 364combines writing information related to the digital pen 350 with thestored electronic document.

The information-image-generating image processing apparatus 330 isconnected to the document-creating information processing apparatus 310,corresponds to the image processing apparatus (image output apparatus)illustrated in FIG. 1, prints an electronic document created by thedocument-creating information processing apparatus 310, and outputs thedocument-with-information-image 340 obtained by combining an informationimage. The document-with-information-image 340 is a paper document thatis generated by printing an electronic document, and is a paper documenton which position information is superimposed as an information image.Also, a document ID and so forth may be embedded in the informationimage.

Now, an example of an electronic document 400 and adocument-with-information-image 450 will be described with reference toFIGS. 4A and 4B.

The electronic document 400 illustrated in FIG. 4A is a document createdby the document creating application 312 and is stored in the documentDB 320. For example, assume that the electronic document 400 hasquestions described therein as content and has five question regionsserving as object regions, and that first input object information,which is information about a question region, is specified in each ofthe question regions.

The document-with-information-image 450 illustrated in FIG. 4B is apaper document obtained through printing performed by theinformation-image-generating image processing apparatus 330, and readingis performed thereon by a user who operates the digital pen 350. Aninformation image embedded with first input object information iscombined into each of a question region 452, a question region 454, aquestion region 456, a question region 458, and a question region 460 ofthe document-with-information-image 450. Additionally, positioninformation, a document ID, and so forth may be embedded in theinformation image. Also, an information image embedded with “ANY” iscombined with a background 462. Alternatively, no information image maybe combined with the background 462.

Next, an example of an electronic document 500 and adocument-with-information-image 550 will be described with reference toFIGS. 5A and 5B.

The electronic document 500 illustrated in FIG. 5A is a document inwhich answers to the questions described in the electronic document 400illustrated in FIG. 4A are to be described. The electronic document 500is created by the document creating application 312 and is stored in thedocument DB 320. For example, the electronic document 500 has fiveanswer regions serving as input regions. An answer field region 502corresponds to the question region 402, an answer field region 504corresponds to the question region 404, an answer field region 506corresponds to the question region 406, an answer field region 508corresponds to the question region 408, and an answer field region 510corresponds to the question region 410. These regions are input regionsin which answers to the respective questions are to be described. Assumethat second input object information is specified to the individualinput regions.

The document-with-information-image 550 illustrated in FIG. 5B is apaper document in which answers to the questions described in thedocument-with-information-image 450 illustrated in FIG. 4B are to bedescribed. The document-with-information-image 550 is obtained throughprinting performed by the information-image-generating image processingapparatus 330, and writing is performed thereon through an operation ofthe digital pen 350 by a user. An information image embedded withposition information and second input object information (of course,second input object information corresponding to the first input objectinformation embedded in the information image combined with thecorresponding field in the document-with-information-image 450) iscombined into each of an answer field region 552, an answer field region554, an answer field region 556, an answer field region 558, and ananswer field region 560 in the document-with-information-image 550.Also, a document ID and so forth may be embedded in the informationimage. An information image embedded with at least position informationis combined with a background 562. Alternatively, the information imagecombined with the background 562 may be embedded with “ANY”, a documentID, etc. as well as position information. Alternatively, no informationimage may be combined with the background 562.

Next, an example of a document-with-information-image (sticker) 600 anda document-with-information-image (maintenance log) 650 will bedescribed with reference to FIGS. 6A and 6B.

The document-with-information-image (sticker) 600 illustrated in FIG. 6Ais a paper document that is to be attached to a device to be managed, iscreated by the document creating application 312, and is obtainedthrough printing performed by the information-image-generating imageprocessing apparatus 330. The document-with-information-image (sticker)600 is read through an operation of the digital pen 350 performed by auser.

An information image embedded with first input object information iscombined with the document-with-information-image (sticker) 600.Alternatively, a document ID and so forth may be embedded in theinformation image.

The document-with-information-image (maintenance log) 650 illustrated inFIG. 6B is a paper document in which a check result corresponding to thedocument-with-information-image (sticker) 600 illustrated in FIG. 6A isto be described, is created by the document creating application 312,and is obtained through printing performed by theinformation-image-generating image processing apparatus 330. Theelectronic document corresponding thereto is stored in the document DB320. Writing is performed on the document-with-information-image(maintenance log) 650 through an operation of the digital pen 350performed by a user.

An information image embedded with position information and second inputobject information (of course, second input object informationcorresponding to the first input object information embedded in theinformation image combined into the document-with-information-image(sticker) 600) is combined into each of an input field region 652, aninput field region 654, an input field region 656, an input field region658, and an input field region 660 in thedocument-with-information-image (maintenance log) 650. The pieces ofsecond input object information embedded in the respective informationimages combined into the input field regions 652 to 660 may have thesame value. Alternatively, the pieces of second input object informationembedded in the respective information images combined into the inputfield regions 652 to 660 may have values different from one another ifthe pieces of second input object information correspond to the firstinput object information embedded in the information image combined withthe document-with-information-image (sticker) 600. An information imageembedded with at least position information is combined with abackground 662. Alternatively, the information image combined with thebackground 662 may be embedded with “ANY”, a document ID, etc. as wellas position information. Alternatively, no information image may becombined with the background 662.

FIGS. 11A to 11C are explanatory diagrams illustrating an example of aninformation image.

This example is a two-dimensional code pattern image in which glyph codeis used as a code symbol serving as an information image (for example,Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication Nos. 6-103390 and6-75795). The glyph code represents data using sloping lines ofdifferent angles, and has been developed by Palo Alto Research Center ofXerox Corporation in the United States.

In this example, a unit region 1100 is a square region formed of eightsymbols×eight symbols. The values of individual symbols are expressed bysloping line patterns, as illustrated in FIGS. 11B and 11C. In thisexample, a symbol value of zero is expressed by a downward sloping linethat forms an angle of 45 degrees counterclockwise with respect to avertical line (pattern 0 in FIG. 11B). A symbol value of one isexpressed by an upward sloping line that forms an angle of 45 degreesclockwise with respect to the vertical line (pattern 1 in FIG. 11C).

A position code image 1102 is a square image formed of six symbols×sixsymbols at the upper left corner of the unit region 1100. Anidentification code image 1104 is a reverse-L-shaped region, which is aregion obtained by subtracting the position code image 1102 from theunit region 1100.

In this example, a column and a row of a synchronization code 1106 areprovided in vertical and horizontal directions along the periphery ofthe unit region 1100. In this example, the synchronization code 1106 isa sequence of upward sloping line symbols (“l”). The size and alignmentpitch of the symbols are the same as those in the unit region 1100. Thesynchronization code 1106 is provided in the vertical and horizontaldirections at regular intervals, and each unit region 1100 is providedin the square region surrounded by the synchronization code 1106. Thesynchronization code 1106 serves as a partition of unit regions 1100.That is, in an apparatus that has read a two-dimensional code patternimage, if rows and columns of sequential upward sloping line symbols aredetected, inner regions of a grid pattern formed of the rows and columnsmay be recognized as unit regions 1100. Also, the six×six symbols at theupper-left corner of each of the unit regions 1100 may be recognized asthe position code image 1102.

The synchronization code 1106 is not necessarily be that illustrated inFIG. 11A as long as it specifies the position of the unit region 1100 orthe position code image 1102. For example, a symbol in a specific shapedifferent from the sloping line symbol may be placed at the four cornersof the unit region 1100, thereby forming the synchronization code 1106.In the example illustrated in FIG. 11A, a row and a column having awidth corresponding to one symbol are used for the synchronization code1106. However, if marks forming the synchronization code 1106 aresufficiently small, unit regions 1100 may be two-dimensionally arrangedwithout gaps therebetween, and the marks may be arranged in the marginof the unit regions 1100 adjacent to each other.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 11A, 36 symbols in total, that is,data of 36 bits, is stored in one position code image 1102. Among the 36bits, 18 bits may be used for encoding an x coordinate, and the other 18bits may be used for encoding a y coordinate. If each group of 18 bitsis used for encoding positions, 2^18 types of (about 260,000 types of)positions may be encoded. Assume that each sloping line pattern isconstituted by eight pixels×eight pixels, as illustrated in FIGS. 11Band 11C, and that printing is performed at 600 dpi. In this case, thelength of one dot is 0.0423 mm in the vertical and horizontaldirections, and thus the length of the two-dimensional code illustratedin FIG. 11A (including the synchronization code 1106) is about 3 mm(=eight pixels per symbol×nine symbols×0.0423 mm) in both the verticaland horizontal directions. If 260,000 types of positions are encoded atthe intervals of 3 mm, a length of about 786 m may be encoded. If thereading accuracy is high, all the 18 bits may be used for encodingpositions. However, if a reading error becomes a problem, it isappropriate to add redundant bits for error detection and errorcorrection. The performance of error detection and error correction maybe enhanced by increasing the ratio of redundant bits to 18 bits, butthe range of positions that may be expressed decreases.

In the example illustrated in FIG. 11A, the identification code image1104 is formed of a rectangular region of two bits×eight bits and arectangular region of two bits×six bits, so that identificationinformation or the like of 28 bits in total may be stored therein. If 28bits are used for identification information or the like, about270,000,000 types of (2^28 types of) identification information or thelike may be expressed. Alternatively, some of the 28 bits may be used asredundant bits for error detection and error correction so as to handlea read error. In this exemplary embodiment, the identificationinformation includes at least first input object information and secondinput object information, and may also include a document ID and a pageID. For example, the identification information may include a sheetidentification number that uniquely identifies a sheet. Theidentification code images 1104 in the unit regions 1100 printed ininput fields of one sheet are the same. Of course, the position codeimages 1102 in the individual unit regions 1100 are different from oneanother because the position information represented by the positioncode images 1102 in the unit regions 1100 is information representingpositions in the sheet.

In the above-described example, two sloping line patterns having anglesdifferent from each other by 90 degrees are used as symbols, therebyexpressing one-bit data by one symbol. This is merely an example. Forexample, if a pattern of a vertical line and a horizontal line is addedto a symbol, two-bit information may be expressed by one symbol. In thisway, the number of bits expressing one symbol may be increased byincreasing the types of angle of a sloping line pattern of one symbol.Also, a code other than the glyph code may be used as an informationimage.

The digital pen 350 (also called a scanner-equipped pen or an electronicpen) reads an information image when the user performs writing on thedocument-with-information-image 340 using the digital pen 350, extractsa trail the writing as stroke information, and transmits the strokeinformation to the write-back information processing apparatus 360.Then, the digital pen 350 determines whether or not second input objectinformation corresponds to first input object information, and outputs awarning if they do not correspond to each other. The configuration ofthe digital pen 350 and the processing performed thereby will bedescribed below with reference to FIG. 12 and so forth. Here, the strokeinformation is information that is represented as a series ofcoordinates obtained by performing writing on thedocument-with-information-image 340 using the digital pen 350.

The write-back information processing apparatus 360 includes the strokeinformation extracting module 362 and the write-back module 364, and isconnected to the document DB 320 and the digital pen 350.

The stroke information extracting module 362 has a function ofobtaining, from the digital pen 350, stroke information about a strokemade on the document-with-information-image 340. The stroke informationincludes the document ID of the document-with-information-image 340 onwhich the stroke has been made, a page number, a stroke sequence(sequence of position information), etc.

The document ID is information for uniquely identifying a document inthe system illustrated in FIG. 3, as described above. An electronicdocument and a paper document obtained by printing the electronicdocument have the same document ID. The document ID is necessary foridentifying the paper document serving as a target of hand writing andfor specifying the original electronic document corresponding thereto.However, the document ID is not necessary for determining whether or notsecond input object information corresponds to first input objectinformation. Something other than the document ID may be used as long asthe correspondence between an electronic document and a paper documentis specified.

The write-back module 364 is an application program for writing back, toan original electronic document, stroke information about a stroke madeon the document-with-information-image 340 using the digital pen 350.The write-back module 364 performs processing of reflecting the strokeinformation received from the stroke information extracting module 362as stroke information on the electronic document on the basis ofinformation about a document ID and page ID.

FIG. 12 is a conceptual module configuration diagram illustrating anexample configuration of an image reading apparatus (1) according to theexemplary embodiment. The image processing apparatus (image readingapparatus (1)) according to the exemplary embodiment reads a documentcombined with an information image, and includes a reading module 1210,an information image analyzing module 1220, a switching module 1215, adetermination control module 1230, an alarm module 1240, a strokeinformation generating module 1250, and a transmitting module 1260, asillustrated in FIG. 12. These modules are accommodated in the digitalpen 350 illustrated in FIG. 3.

The reading module 1210 is connected to the information image analyzingmodule 1220. The reading module 1210 reads an information image that hasbeen output onto a medium such as paper and that is used for extractinga writing position of a writing tool. Here, the medium such as paper isa document combined with an information image that is generated on thebasis of first input object information (for example, thedocument-with-information-image 450 illustrated in FIG. 4B or theimage-with-information-image (sticker) 600 illustrated in FIG. 6A) or adocument combined with an information image that is generated on thebasis of second input object information and position informationrepresenting a position in the document (for example, thedocument-with-information-image 550 illustrated in FIG. 5B or thedocument-with-information-image (maintenance log) 650 illustrated inFIG. 6B). In the above-described example, the reading module 1210 readsan image at a writing position on the document-with-information-image340. The reading module 1210 corresponds to an image reading module 1452illustrated in FIG. 14 (described below).

Additionally, the information image read by the reading module 1210 mayfurther include document information representing a document.

The switching module 1215 is connected to the information imageanalyzing module 1220. In the image reading apparatus (1) according tothe exemplary embodiment illustrated in FIG. 12, the reading module 1210reads an information image embedded with first input object informationand an information image embedded with second input object informationusing the same reader. Accordingly, the switching module 1215 performscontrol in accordance with an operation performed by an operator so thatthe reading module 1210 reads an information image as an informationimage embedded with first input object information or as an informationimage embedded with second input object information. For example, when aswitching button 1454 illustrated in FIG. 14 (described below) ispressed, the switching module 1215 performs control so that the readingmodule 1210 reads an information image as an information image embeddedwith first input object information. When the switching button 1454 isnot pressed, the switching module 1215 performs control so that thereading module 1210 reads an information image as an information imageembedded with second input object information.

The information image analyzing module 1220 includes a positioninformation extracting module 1222, an input object informationextracting module 1224, and a document-related information extractingmodule 1226, and is connected to the reading module 1210, the switchingmodule 1215, the determination control module 1230, and the strokeinformation generating module 1250.

The position information extracting module 1222 analyzes an informationimage read by the reading module 1210, thereby extracting positioninformation. That is, the position information extracting module 1222extracts position information representing a writing position, so thatstroke information serving as writing information may be generated usingthe position information.

The input object information extracting module 1224 analyzes aninformation image read by the reading module 1210, thereby extractingfirst input object information or second input object information fromthe identification information or the like in the information image.That is, under control performed by the switching module 1215, the inputobject information extracting module 1224 analyzes the information imageread by the reading module 1210 as an information image embedded withfirst input object information, thereby extracting the first inputobject information, and analyzes the information image read by thereading module 1210 as an information image embedded with second inputobject information, thereby extracting the second input objectinformation. Then, the input, object information extracting module 1224supplies the extracted first input object information to an input objectinformation storage module 1232 in the determination control module1230, and also supplies the extracted second input object information toa determining module 1234 in the determination control module 1230.

The document-related information extracting module 1226 analyzes aninformation image read by the reading module 1210, thereby extractinginformation related to a document from the identification information orthe like in the information image. Examples of the information relatedto a document include a document ID serving as document information.

The determination control module 1230 is connected to the informationimage analyzing module 1220 and the alarm module 1240, and includes theinput object information storage module 1232 and the determining module1234.

The input object information storage module 1232 is connected to theinput object information extracting module 1224 and the determiningmodule 1234. The input object information storage module 1232 storesfirst input object information extracted by the input object informationextracting module 1224. Specifically, the input object informationstorage module 1232 stores an input object information table 1600. FIG.16 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example data structure ofthe input object information table 1600. The input object informationtable 1600 has an input object information A column 1610. The inputobject information A column 1610 stores first input object information.

The first input object information stored in the input objectinformation storage module 1232 may be plural pieces of first inputobject information.

The determining module 1234 is connected to the input object informationextracting module 1224 and the input object information storage module1232. The determining module 1234 compares the first input objectinformation stored in the input object information storage module 1232with the second input object information extracted by the input objectinformation extracting module 1224, thereby determining whether or notthe second input object information corresponds to the first inputobject information. An example of this will be described using thedocument-with-information-image 450 illustrated in FIG. 4B and thedocument-with-information-image illustrated in FIG. 5B. If the readingmodule 1210 reads the question region 452 in thedocument-with-information-image 450 and then reads the answer fieldregion 552 in the document-with-information-image 550, the determiningmodule 1234 determines that the second input object informationcorresponds to the first input object information. That is, thedetermining module 1234 determines that the position where informationis to be input or the position where information has been input (answerfield region 552) corresponds to the position where information has beenpreviously read (question region 452). If the reading module 1210 readsthe question region 452 in the document-with-information-image 450 andthen reads the answer field region 554 in thedocument-with-information-image 550, the determining module 1234determines that the second input object information does not correspondto the first input object information. That is, the determining module1234 determines that the position where information is to be input orthe position where information has been input (answer field region 554)does not correspond to the position where information has beenpreviously read (question region 452).

In order to determine such correspondence, it may be determined whetheror not any of the above-described correspondence forms (B1) to (B5) maybe applied.

For example, if the first input object information matches the secondinput object information as in the form (B1), the determining module1234 determines that both the pieces of information correspond to eachother. If the first input object information is different from thesecond input object information, the determining module 1234 determinesthat both the pieces of information do not correspond to each other.

In a case where the first input object information has a hierarchicalstructure as in the form (B2), if the second input object information islocated in the lower layer of or in the same layer as the first inputobject information, the determining module 1234 determines that both thepieces of information correspond to each other. Otherwise, thedetermining module 1234 determines that both the pieces of informationdo not correspond to each other.

FIG. 24 is an explanatory diagram illustrating an example data structureof input object information. In the example illustrated in FIG. 24,there are Q. 1 2410, Q. 2 2420, and Q. 3 2430 in the lower layer ofquestions 2400. In the lower layer of Q. 1 2410, there are Q. 1-1 2411,Q. 1-2 2412, and Q. 1-3 2413. In the lower layer of Q. 2 2420, there areQ. 2-1 2421 and Q. 2-2 2422. In the lower layer of Q. 3 2430, there areQ. 3-1 2431, Q. 3-2 2432, and Q. 3-3 2433. Such a hierarchical structureis stored in the input object information storage module 1232, therebybeing used for determining whether or not the second input objectinformation corresponds to the first input object information. Forexample, in a case where the first input object information stored inthe input object information storage module 1232 is Q. 2 2420 and wherethe second input object information extracted by the input objectinformation extracting module 1224 is Q. 2-1 2421, it is determined thatthe second input object information corresponds to the first inputobject information. In a case where the second input object informationextracted by the input object information extracting module 1224 is Q.1-3 2413, it is determined that the second input object information doesnot correspond to the first input object information. Also, informationabout a difference of layer in the hierarchical structure may be used aspart of input object information, so that the difference may be used fordetermining whether or not the second input object informationcorresponds to the first input object information. The hierarchicalstructure illustrated in FIG. 24 has a three-layer structure in whichthe questions are located in the first layer, Q. 1 to Q. 3 are locatedin the second layer, and Q. 1-1 etc. under the respective Qs are locatedin the third layer. Here, the first layer may be represented by A, thesecond layer may be represented by B, and the third layer may berepresented by C, and the connection among them may be used as inputobject information. In this case, the ID of the questions is “A”, the IDof each of Q. 1 to Q. 3 is “A-B”, and the ID of Q. 1-1 etc. is “A-B-C”.By using such IDs representing information about the hierarchicalstructure, the upper-lower relationship in the hierarchical structure ofinput object information is clarified, so that it may be determinedwhether or not the second input object information corresponds to thefirst input object information. As the foregoing A, B, and C, the IDs ofthe respective Qs may be used.

The alarm module 1240 is connected to the determination control module1230, and outputs a warning if the determining module 1234 determinesthat the second input object information does not correspond to thefirst input object information. The warning indicates that the positionwhere reading has been performed by the reading module 1210 (theposition of an information image embedded with the second input objectinformation, the position where writing is to be performed, or theposition where writing has been performed) does not correspond to theposition where reading has been previously performed by the readingmodule 1210 (the position of an information image embedded with thefirst input object information). For example, the alarm module 1240 mayinclude a speaker, a light source, a vibration device, or the like. Themode of warning to be output may be sound (warning sound, voice message,etc.), light (blinking of a light source, output of a predeterminedcolor, etc.), vibration, or the like.

The determining module 1234 makes a determination and the alarm module1240 outputs a warning regardless of whether or not writing is actuallybeing performed. If the reading module 1210 reads an information imagebefore writing is performed, a warning may be output before writing isperformed. If the reading module 1210 reads an information image whilewriting is being performed, a warning may be output while writing isbeing performed.

A warning may be continuously output until a predetermined time haselapsed after start of the output, until the determining module 1234determines that the second input object information corresponds to thefirst input object information at the position where reading has beenperformed by the reading module 1210, or until an operator performs anoperation of forcibly stopping the warning.

Also, if the determining module 1234 determines that the second inputobject information does not correspond to the first input objectinformation, the alarm module 1240 may perform control so that writingis not performed by the digital pen. For example, the alarm module 1240may have a mechanism of accommodating the tip of the digital pen, andmay perform control to accommodate the tip so that writing is notperformed if it is determined that the second input object informationdoes not correspond to the first input object information. In a casewhere an inkjet scheme is employed as the writing mechanism of thedigital pen and where it is determined that the second input objectinformation does not correspond to the first input object information,the alarm module 1240 may perform control to stop ejection of ink sothat writing is not performed.

Also, if the determining module 1234 determines that the second inputobject information does not correspond to the first input objectinformation, the alarm module 1240 may perform control so that theposition information extracted by the position information extractingmodule 1222 is not output to the transmitting module 1260. For example,in order to perform control so as not to output position information tothe transmitting module 1260, the alarm module 1240 may cause theposition information extracting module 1222 not to extract positioninformation, may cause the position information extracted by theposition information extracting module 1222 not to be stored, may causethe stroke information generating module 1250 not to generate strokeinformation, or may cause the transmitting module 1260 not to performtransmission.

Also, the alarm module 1240 may combine any two or more of warning,control to prevent writing using the digital pen, and control to preventoutput of position information.

The stroke information generating module 1250 is connected to theinformation image analyzing module 1220 and the transmitting module1260. The stroke information generating module 1250 generates strokeinformation on the basis of the position information extracted by theposition information extracting module 1222 and the document-relatedinformation extracted by the document-related information extractingmodule 1226. For example, the stroke information generating module 1250may generate a stroke information table 1500. FIG. 15 is an explanatorydiagram illustrating an example data structure of the stroke informationtable 1500. The stroke information table 1500 includes a document IDcolumn 1510, an X coordinate column 1520, and a Y coordinate column1530. The document ID column 1510 stores document IDs, which serve asdocument-related information extracted by the document-relatedinformation extracting module 1226. The X coordinate column 1520 and theY coordinate column 1530 store X coordinates and Y coordinates, whichserve as position information extracted by the position informationextracting module 1222.

The transmitting module 1260 is connected to the stroke informationgenerating module 1250. The transmitting module 1260 transmits thestroke information generated by the stroke information generating module1250 to the foregoing write-back information processing apparatus 360.Alternatively, the generated stroke information may be accumulated in astroke information storage module (not illustrated). Then, when theimage reading apparatus (digital pen 350) is connected to the write-backinformation processing apparatus 360, the transmitting module 1260 maytransmit the stroke information accumulated in the stroke informationstorage module to the write-back information processing apparatus 360.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart illustrating a first example of processingperformed by the image reading apparatus (1) according to the exemplaryembodiment.

In step S1302, the reading module 1210 reads an information image, forexample, the information image combined with the question region 452 orthe like in the document-with-information-image 450 illustrated in FIG.4B.

In step S1304, the input object information extracting module 1224extracts input object information A (first input object information).

In step S1306, the information image analyzing module 1220 determineswhether or not switching by the switching module 1215 has been detected.If switching has been detected, the process proceeds to step S1308.Otherwise, the process returns to step S1302.

In step S1308, the reading module 1210 reads an information image, forexample, the information image combined with the answer field region 552or the like in the document-with-information-image 550 illustrated inFIG. 5B.

In step S1310, the document-related information extracting module 1226extracts a document ID, etc.

In step S1312, the input object information extracting module 1224extracts input object information B (second input object information).

In step S1314, the determining module 1234 determines whether or not theinput object information A corresponds to the input object informationB. If both the pieces of information correspond to each other, theprocess proceeds to step S1318. Otherwise, the process proceeds to stepS1316.

In step S1316, the alarm module 1240 outputs an alarm representing thatthe field to which the user is going to input information is not anappropriate field.

In step S1318, the position information extracting module 1222 extractsposition information.

In step S1320, the stroke information generating module 1250 generatesstroke information.

In step S1322, the transmitting module 1260 transmits the strokeinformation.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a first example structureof the digital pen 350. The digital pen 350 includes an ink unit 1451,the image reading module 1452, a control/transmission module 1453, andthe switching button 1454. The reading module 1210 illustrated in FIG.12 is realized by the image reading module 1452. The information imageanalyzing module 1220, the determination control module 1230, the alarmmodule 1240, the stroke information generating module 1250, and thetransmitting module 1260 are realized by the control/transmission module1453. The switching module 1215 is realized by the switching button 1454and the control/transmission module 1453.

In accordance with an operation performed by the operator of the digitalpen 350, characters or the like are written on thedocument-with-information-image 340 using the ink unit 1451. Then, theimage reading module 1452 performs continuous image capturing at arelatively high speed of about several tens to hundred and several tensof frames per second, scans individual frames, and outputs a read imageto the control/transmission module 1453. The control/transmission module1453 detects the synchronization code 1106 from the image read by theimage reading module 1452. In the case of an image having the codepattern illustrated in FIGS. 11A to 11C, rows and columns of sequentialupward sloping line patterns are detected as rows and columns of thesynchronization code 1106. As the synchronization code, various types ofcodes that have been suggested may be used as well as the codeillustrated in FIG. 11A, and the synchronization code may be detectedusing a certain method in accordance with the type of thesynchronization code.

When the switching button 1454 is pressed through an operation performedby an operator, processing is performed under the assumption that theinformation image read by the image reading module 1452 is embedded withfirst input object information. When the switching button 1454 is notpressed, processing is performed under the assumption that theinformation image read by the image reading module 1452 is embedded withsecond input object information.

The position code image 1102 and the identification code image 1104 areextracted from the read image. The control/transmission module 1453performs code recognition processing on the position code image 1102 andthe identification code image 1104, thereby reproducing positioninformation and identification information (including first input objectinformation and second input object information). The code recognitionprocessing performed here is, in brief, the reverse processing ofinformation image generation processing. As for the identification codeimage 1104, the control/transmission module 1453 first recognizesindividual sloping line symbols in the identification code image 1104,thereby obtaining the values of the respective symbols, and obtains anidentification code matrix in which the values of the respective symbolsare arranged in accordance with the arrangement positions of therespective symbols in the identification code image 1104. Then, thecontrol/transmission module 1453 obtains a serial identification codefor the identification code matrix, and performs decoding processing onthe identification code in accordance with the encoding method, therebydecoding the identification information. As for the position code image1102, position information may be decoded by performing processingequivalent to the foregoing processing. That is, the foregoingextraction and recognition processing is performed in units of frames,so that position information and identification information areobtained.

The position information and identification information obtained fromthe read image of each frame in this way are provided to the write-backinformation processing apparatus 360 that uses these pieces ofinformation and are used therein. For example, in the case of thewrite-back information processing apparatus 360 that captures, aselectronic information, the trail of a stroke made by an operator on asheet having an information image printed thereon using the digital pen350, the write-back information processing apparatus 360 specifies thesheet on the basis of the identification information to obtain theoriginal document of the sheet, obtains the trail of a stroke made bythe operator from the position information obtained from the individualframes that are sequentially read, and superimposes the imagerepresenting the trail on the original document to record the image.

FIG. 17 is a flowchart illustrating a second example of processingperformed by the image reading apparatus (1) according to the exemplaryembodiment. In this example, the alarm module 1240 performs control toprevent position information from being stored and outputs a warning.

In step S1702, the reading module 1210 reads an information image.

In step S1704, the input object information extracting module 1224extracts input object information A (first input object information).

In step S1706, the information image analyzing module 1220 determineswhether or not switching by the switching module 1215 has been detected.If switching has been detected, the process proceeds to step S1708.Otherwise, the process returns to step S1702.

In step S1708, the reading module 1210 reads an information image.

In step S1710, the document-related information extracting module 1226extracts a document ID, etc.

In step S1712, the position information extracting module 1222 extractposition information.

In step S1714, the input object information extracting module 1224extracts input object information B (second input object information).

In step S1716, the determining module 1234 determines whether or not theinput object information A corresponds to the input object informationB. If both the pieces of information correspond to each other, theprocess proceeds to step S1722. Otherwise, the process proceeds to stepS1718.

In step S1718, the alarm module 1240 prevents the position informationfrom being stored.

In step S1720, the alarm module 1240 outputs an alarm representing thatthe field to which the user is going to input information is not anappropriate field.

In step S1722, the position information extracting module 1222 storesthe position information.

In step S1724, the stroke information generating module 1250 generatesstroke information.

In step S1726, the transmitting module 1260 transmits the strokeinformation.

FIG. 18 is a flowchart illustrating a third example of processingperformed by the image reading apparatus (1) according to the exemplaryembodiment. In this example, “ANY” is embedded as first input objectinformation in an information image in a background region. When thefirst input object information is “ANY”, position information is readwithout determining whether or not the second input object informationcorresponds to the first input object information.

The processing illustrated in FIG. 18 is performed after step S1312 inthe flowchart illustrated in FIG. 13 or after step S1714 in theflowchart illustrated in FIG. 17.

In step S1802, the determining module 1234 determines whether or not theinput object information A (first input object information is “ANY”. Ifthe input object information A is “ANY”, the process proceeds to stepS1318 in FIG. 13 or step S1722 in FIG. 17. Otherwise, the processproceeds to step S1314 in FIG. 13 or step S1716 in FIG. 17.

FIG. 19 is a flowchart illustrating a fourth example of processingperformed by the image reading apparatus (1) according to the exemplaryembodiment. In this example, “ANY” is embedded as first input objectinformation in an information image in a background region. When thefirst input object information is “ANY” and when the second input objectinformation is “ANY” or none, position information is read withoutdetermining whether or not the second input object informationcorresponds to the first input object information. When both of thefirst input object information and the second input object informationare “ANY”, it is determined that both of them correspond to each other.Also, when there is no second input object information (including whenthere is no information image), it is determined that both of themcorrespond to each other.

The processing illustrated in FIG. 19 is performed after step S1312 inthe flowchart illustrated in FIG. 13 or after step S1714 in theflowchart illustrated in FIG. 17.

In step S1902, the determining module 1234 determines whether or not theinput object information A (first input object information) is “ANY”. Ifthe input object information A is “ANY”, the process proceeds to stepS1904. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S1314 in FIG. 13 or stepS1716 in FIG. 17.

In step S1904, the determining module 1234 determines whether or not theinput object information B (second input object information) is “ANY” ornone. If the input object information B is “ANY” or none, the processproceeds to step S1318 in FIG. 13 or step S1722 in FIG. 17. Otherwise,the process proceeds to step S1316 in FIG. 13 or step S1718 in FIG. 17.

In the image reading apparatus (1) according to the exemplaryembodiment, the reading module 1210 (image reading module 1452) readsboth of an information image embedded with first input objectinformation and an information image embedded with second input objectinformation. Thus, a user may be notified which information image is tobe currently read by the digital pen 350. For example, the alarm module1240 may present, using sound, light, vibration, or the like, a statewhere an information image embedded with first input object informationis to be read or a state where an information image embedded with secondinput object information is to be read.

The image reading apparatus (1) according to the exemplary embodiment isbased on the assumption that the reading module 1210 (image readingmodule 1452) reads both of an information image embedded with firstinput object information and an information image embedded with secondinput object information. Alternatively, both of a mode of performingcontrol on the basis of input object information and a mode ofperforming reading without control on the basis of input objectinformation (normal reading mode) may be available. Also, the mode ofthe alarm module 1240 may be expressed by sound, light (for example, redlight from a light-emitting diode (LED) in the former mode, and greenlight in the latter mode), vibration, or the like. The switching betweenthe two modes may be realized by providing a set button similar to theswitching button 1454 on the digital pen 350. In a case where aninformation image embedded with predetermined information is read,switching to the former mode or the latter mode may be performed.

FIG. 20 is a conceptual module configuration diagram illustrating anexample configuration of an image reading apparatus (2) according to theexemplary embodiment. Different from the image reading apparatus (1)illustrated in FIG. 12, the image reading apparatus (2) has two readingmodules that read an information image, so that the necessity for theswitching module 1215 is eliminated. One of the reading modules reads aninformation image embedded with first input object information, and theother reads an information image embedded with second input objectinformation.

The image processing apparatus (image reading apparatus (2)) accordingto the exemplary embodiment reads a document combined with aninformation image, and includes a reading module 2010A, a reading module2010B, an information image analyzing module 2020, an input objectinformation extracting module 2024A, a determination control module2030, an alarm module 2040, a stroke information generating module 2050,and a transmitting module 2060, as illustrated in FIG. 20. These modulesare accommodated in the digital pen 350 and the reader 2300 illustratedin FIG. 23 (described below).

The reading module 2010A is connected to the input object informationextracting module 2024A. The reading module 2010A reads an informationimage output onto a medium such as paper. Here, the medium such as paperis a document combined with an information image generated on the basisof first input object information (for example, thedocument-with-information-image 450 illustrated in FIG. 4B or thedocument-with-information-image (sticker) 600 illustrated in FIG. 6A).The reading module 2010A corresponds to the image reading module 2310illustrated in FIG. 23 (described below).

An information image read by the reading module 2010A may furtherinclude document information representing a document.

The input object information extracting module 2024A is connected to thereading module 2010A and an input object information storage module2032. The input object information extracting module 2024A analyzes aninformation image read by the reading module 2010A, thereby extractingfirst input object information from identification information or thelike in the information image. Then, the input object informationextracting module 2024A supplies the extracted first input objectinformation to the input object information storage module 2032 of thedetermination control module 2030.

The reading module 2010B is connected to the information image analyzingmodule 2020. The reading module 2010B reads an information image thathas been output onto a medium such as paper and that is used forextracting a writing position of a writing tool. Here, the medium suchas paper is a document combined with an information image generated onthe basis of second input object information and position informationrepresenting a position in the document (for example, thedocument-with-information-image 550 illustrated in FIG. 5B or thedocument-with-information-image (maintenance log) 650 illustrated inFIG. 6B). In the foregoing example, an image at a writing position inthe document-with-information-image 340 is read. The reading module2010B corresponds to the image reading module 1452 illustrated in FIG.23 (described below).

An information image read by the reading module 2010B may furtherinclude document information representing a document.

The information image analyzing module 2020 is connected to the readingmodule 2010B, the determination control module 2030, and the strokeinformation generating module 2050, and includes a position informationextracting module 2022, an input object information extracting module2024B, and a document-related information extracting module 2026.

The position information extracting module 2022 analyzes an informationimage read by the reading module 2010B, thereby extracting positioninformation. That is, the position information extracting module 2022extracts position information about a position where information iswritten, so that stroke information as writing information may begenerated using the position information.

The input object information extracting module 2024B is connected to adetermining module 2034. The input object information extracting module2024B analyzes an information image read by the reading module 2010B,thereby extracting second input object information from identificationinformation or the like in the information image. Then, the input objectinformation extracting module 2024B supplies the extracted second inputobject information to the determining module 2034 of the determinationcontrol module 2030.

The document-related information extracting module 2026 analyzes aninformation image read by the reading module 2010B, thereby extractinginformation related to the document from identification information orthe like in the information image. The information related to thedocument may be, for example, a document ID serving as documentinformation.

The determination control module 2030 includes the input objectinformation storage module 2032 and the determining module 2034.

The input object information storage module 2032 is connected to theinput object information extracting module 2024A and the determiningmodule 2034. The input object information storage module 2032 storesfirst input object information extracted by the input object informationextracting module 2024A. Specifically, the input object informationstorage module 2032 stores the input object information table 1600, forexample.

Also, the first input object information stored in the input objectinformation storage module 2032 may be plural pieces of first inputobject information.

The determining module 2034 is connected to the input object informationextracting module 2024B, the input object information storage module2032, and the alarm module 2040. The determining module 2034 comparesthe first input object information stored in the input objectinformation storage module 2032 with the second input object informationextracted by the input object information extracting module 2024B,thereby determining whether or not the second input object informationcorresponds to the first input object information. The determiningmodule 2034 performs processing equivalent to the processing performedby the determining module 1234 illustrated in FIG. 12.

The alarm module 2040 is connected to the determining module 2034. Thealarm module 2040 performs processing equivalent to the processingperformed by the alarm module 1240 illustrated in FIG. 12.

The stroke information generating module 2050 is connected to theinformation image analyzing module 2020 and the transmitting module2060. The stroke information generating module 2050 performs processingequivalent to the processing performed by the stroke informationgenerating module 1250 illustrated in FIG. 12.

The transmitting module 2060 is connected to the stroke informationgenerating module 2050. The transmitting module 2060 performs processingequivalent to the processing performed by the transmitting module 1260illustrated in FIG. 12.

FIG. 21 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performedby the reader 2300 of the image reading apparatus (2) according to theexemplary embodiment.

In step S2102, the reading module 2010A reads an information image.

In step S2104, the input object information extracting module 2024Aextracts input object information A (first input object information).

In step S2106, the input object information extracting module 2024Atransmits the input object information A (first input objectinformation) to the digital pen 350.

FIG. 22 is a flowchart illustrating an example of processing performedby the digital pen 350 of the image reading apparatus (2) according tothe exemplary embodiment.

In step S2202, the determination control module 2030 receives the inputobject information A (first input object information).

In step S2204, the input object information storage module 2032 storesthe input object information A (first input object information).

In step S2206, the reading module 2010B reads an information image.

In step S2208, the document-related information extracting module 2026extracts a document ID, etc.

In step S2210, the input object information extracting module 2024Bextracts input object information (second input object information).

In step S2212, the determining module 2034 determines whether or not theinput object information A (first input object) corresponds to the inputobject information B (second input object). If both the pieces ofinformation correspond to each other, the process proceeds to stepS2216. Otherwise, the process proceeds to step S2214.

In step S2214, the alarm module 2040 outputs an alarm representing thatthe field in which a user is going to input information is not anappropriate field.

In step S2216, the position information extracting module 2022 extractsposition information.

In step S2218, the stroke information generating module 2050 generatesstroke information.

In step S2220, the transmitting module 2060 transmits the strokeinformation.

FIG. 23 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a second examplestructure of the digital pen 350 and an example structure of the reader2300. The reader 2300 includes the image reading module 2310 and acontrol/transmission module 2320. The digital pen 350 includes the inkunit 1451, the image reading module 1452, and the control/transmissionmodule 1453. The reader 2300 and the digital pen 350 are connected toeach other via a connection cable 2330.

The reading module 2010A illustrated in FIG. 20 is realized by the imagereading module 2310. The input object information extracting module2024A is realized by the control/transmission module 2320. The readingmodule 2010B is realized by the image reading module 1452. Theinformation image analyzing module 2020, the determination controlmodule 2030, the alarm module 2040, the stroke information generatingmodule 2050, and the transmitting module 2060 area realized by thecontrol/transmission module 1453. Compared to the digital pen 350illustrated in FIG. 14, the digital pen 350 illustrated in FIG. 23 doesnot have the switching button 1454. The image reading module 1452 andthe control/transmission module 1453 perform processing equivalent tothe processing performed by those illustrated in FIG. 14.

For example, an operator holds the reader 2300 in his/her left hand andthe digital pen 350 in his/her right hand, and causes the reader 2300 toread a document-with-information-image 2390 (for example, thedocument-with-information-image 450 illustrated in FIG. 4B) and causesthe digital pen 350 to read the document-with-information-image 340 (forexample, the document-with-information-image 550 illustrated in FIG.5B). Typically, the operator performs a reading operation with thereader 2300 and then performs a reading operation with the digital pen350. Alternatively, the operator may perform a reading operation withthe digital pen 350 while performing a reading operation with the reader2300.

The image reading module 2310 is connected to the control/transmissionmodule 2320, and performs processing equivalent to the processingperformed by the image reading module 1452 of the digital pen 350. Notethat the information image combined with thedocument-with-information-image 2390 read by the image reading module2310 is embedded with first input object information.

The control/transmission module 2320 extracts first input objectinformation from the information image read by the image reading module2310, and transmits the first input object information to thecontrol/transmission module 1453 of the digital pen 350.

The control/transmission module 1453 of the digital pen 350 and thecontrol/transmission module 2320 of the reader 2300 are connected toeach other via the connection cable 2330. The information image combinedwith the document-with-information-image 340 read by the image readingmodule 1452 is embedded with second input object information. Thecontrol/transmission module 1453 receives the first input objectinformation from the control/transmission module 2320 of the reader2300.

Hereinafter, an example hardware configuration of the informationprocessing apparatus according to the exemplary embodiment (the imageoutput apparatus, the document-creating information processing apparatus310, the write-back information processing apparatus 360, and the imagereading apparatus) will be described with reference to FIG. 25. Theconfiguration illustrated in FIG. 25 is a configuration of a personalcomputer (PC) or the like, and includes a data reading unit 2517, suchas a scanner, and a data output unit 2518, such as a printer. Thedigital pen 350 serving as the image reading apparatus is constituted bya subset of the image processing apparatus illustrated in FIG. 25, thatis, a CPU 2501, a read only memory (ROM) 2502, a random access memory(RAM) 2503, the data reading unit 2517 (corresponding to the imagereading module 1452), a communication unit 2516 (corresponding to partof the control/transmission module 1453), and a bus or the like forconnecting these devices.

The CPU 2501 is a controller that executes processing in accordance witha computer program describing an execution sequence of the individualmodules described above in the exemplary embodiment, that is, the inputobject information receiving module 110, the document layout receivingmodule 120, the document receiving module 130, the information imagegenerating module 140, the information image combining module 150, thedocument creating application 312, the input object informationspecifying module 314, the stroke information extracting module 362, thewrite-back module 364, etc.

The ROM 2502 stores programs and operation parameters used by the CPU2501. The RAM 2503 stores programs used for executing the CPU 2501,parameters that are changed as necessary in the execution, etc. Thesedevices are connected to one another via a host bus 2504 constituted bya CPU bus or the like.

The host bus 2504 is connected to an external bus 2506, such as aperipheral component interconnect/interface (PCI) bus via a bridge 2505.

A keyboard 2508 and a pointing device 2509 such as a mouse are inputdevices operated by an operator. A display 2510 may be a liquid crystaldisplay device or a cathode ray tube (CRT), and displays various piecesof information in the form of text or image information.

A hard disk drive (HDD) 2511 includes a hard disk, drives the hard disk,and causes a program executed by the CPU 2501 and information to berecorded or reproduced. A received electronic document, an informationimage, an electronic document combined with an information image, adocument ID, etc. are stored in the hard disk. Furthermore, variouscomputer programs, such as various data processing programs, are storedtherein.

A drive 2512 reads data or a program recorded on a removable recordingmedium 2513, such as a magnetic disk, an optical disc, a magneto-opticaldisc, or a semiconductor memory, loaded in the drive 2512, and suppliesthe data or program to the RAM 2503 via an interface 2507, the externalbus 2506, the bridge 2505, and the host bus 2504. The removablerecording medium 2513 is usable as a data recording region similar tothe hard disk.

A connection port 2514 is a port to which an external connection device2515 is connected, and has a connection unit for USB, IEEE 1394, or thelike. The connection port 2514 is connected to the CPU 2501, etc. viathe interface 2507, the external bus 2506, the bridge 2505, and the hostbus 2504. The communication unit 2516 is connected to a network andexecutes data communication processing with the outside. The datareading unit 2517 is a scanner, for example, and executes processing ofreading a document. The data output unit 2518 is a printer, for example,and executes processing of outputting document data.

The hardware configuration of the image processing apparatus illustratedin FIG. 25 is one example configuration. The hardware configuration ofthe image processing apparatus is not limited to the configurationillustrated in FIG. 25, and another configuration may be employed aslong as the modules described above in the exemplary embodiment may beexecuted therein. For example, some of the modules may be constituted bydedicated hardware (for example, application specific integrated circuit(ASIC) or the like), and some of the modules may be provided in anexternal system and may be connected via a communication line.Furthermore, plural apparatuses, each being the apparatus illustrated inFIG. 25, may be connected to one another via a communication line so asto operate in cooperation with one another. Alternatively, the apparatusillustrated in FIG. 25 may be incorporated into a copying machine, afacsimile machine, a scanner, a printer, or a multifunction apparatus(an image processing apparatus having two or more of a scanner function,a printer function, a copying function, a facsimile function, etc.).

The above-described program may be provided by being stored in arecording medium or via a communication medium. In that case, theabove-described program may be regarded as a “computer readablerecording medium having the program recorded thereon”.

The “computer readable recording medium having the program recordedthereon” is a computer readable recording medium that has the programrecorded thereon and that is used for installation, execution, ordistribution of the program.

Examples of the recording medium include digital versatile discs (DVDs),for example, a DVD-R, a DVD-RW, a DVD-RAM, etc. based on the standarddesigned by the DVD forum, and a DVD+R, a DVD+RW, etc. based on thestandard designed by DVD+RW. Also, examples of the recording mediuminclude compact discs (CDs), for example, a CD-ROM, a CD recordable(CD-R), a CD rewritable (CD-RW), etc. Furthermore, examples of therecording medium include a Blu-ray Disc (registered trademark), amagneto-optical (MO) disc, a flexible disk (FD), magnetic tape, a harddisk, a ROM, an electrically erasable and programmable ROM (EEPROM(registered trademark)), a flash memory, a RAM, etc.

The above-described program or part of the program may be stored ordistributed while being recorded on the recording medium. Alternatively,the program or part of the program may be transmitted via a wirednetwork, such as a local area network (LAN), a metropolitan area network(MAN), a wide area network (WAN), the Internet, an intranet, or anextranet, or via a wireless communication network. Furthermore, theprogram or part of the program may be transmitted using a transmissionmedium including a combination of the foregoing media, or may betransmitted using carrier waves.

Furthermore, the foregoing program may be part of another program, andmay be recorded on a recording medium together with another program.Also, the program may be recorded on plural recording media in a dividedmanner. The program may be recorded in any form, for example, in acompressed or encrypted form, as long as the program may be decompressedor decrypted.

The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the presentinvention has been provided for the purposes of illustration anddescription. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit theinvention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modificationsand variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. Theembodiments were chosen and described in order to best explain theprinciples of the invention and its practical applications, therebyenabling others skilled in the art to understand the invention forvarious embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited tothe particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of theinvention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. An image processing apparatus comprising: animage output apparatus; and an image reading apparatus, the image outputapparatus including an input object information receiving unit thatreceives first input object information, which is information about aninput object in a document, a first information image generating unitthat generates a first information image, which is an image representinginformation, on the basis of the first input object information receivedby the input object information receiving unit, a second informationimage generating unit that generates a second information image, whichis an image representing information, on the basis of positioninformation representing a position in the document and second inputobject information corresponding to the first input object informationreceived by the input object information receiving unit, a firstcombining unit that combines the first information image generated bythe first information image generating unit with the document, a secondcombining unit that combines the second information image generated bythe second information image generating unit with a document, and afirst output unit that outputs the document combined with the firstinformation image by the first combining unit and the document combinedwith the second information image by the second combining unit ontorespective media, or that outputs a document combined with the firstinformation image and the second information image onto a medium, theimage reading apparatus including a first reading unit that reads aninformation image that has been output onto a medium by the image outputapparatus and that includes first input object information, a secondreading unit that reads an information image that has been output onto amedium by the image output apparatus and that includes positioninformation and second input object information, an extracting unit thatanalyzes the information image read by the first reading unit and theinformation image read by the second reading unit, thereby extractingthe first input object information and the second input objectinformation, and a determining unit that compares the first input objectinformation and the second input object information extracted by theextracting unit, thereby determining whether or not the second inputobject information corresponds to the first input object information. 2.The image processing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:a warning unit that outputs a warning representing that a position wherereading has been performed by the second reading unit does notcorrespond to a position where reading has been performed by the firstreading unit if the determining unit determines that the second inputobject information does not correspond to the first input objectinformation.
 3. The image processing apparatus according to claim 2,further comprising: a writing tool controller that controls the writingtool not to perform writing if the determining unit determines that thesecond input object information does not correspond to the first inputobject information.
 4. The image processing apparatus according to claim3, further comprising: a position information extracting unit thatanalyzes the information image read by the second reading unit, therebyextracting position information; a second output unit that outputs theposition information extracted by the position information extractingunit; and an output controller that performs control so that theposition information extracted by the position information extractingunit is not output to the second output unit if the determining unitdetermines that the second input object information does not correspondto the first input object information.
 5. The image processing apparatusaccording to claim 2, further comprising: a position informationextracting unit that analyzes the information image read by the secondreading unit, thereby extracting position information; a second outputunit that outputs the position information extracted by the positioninformation extracting unit; and an output controller that performscontrol so that the position information extracted by the positioninformation extracting unit is not output to the second output unit ifthe determining unit determines that the second input object informationdoes not correspond to the first input object information.
 6. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising: a writingtool controller that controls a writing tool not to perform writing ifthe determining unit determines that the second input object informationdoes not correspond to the first input object information.
 7. The imageprocessing apparatus according to claim 6, further comprising: aposition information extracting unit that analyzes the information imageread by the second reading unit, thereby extracting positioninformation; a second output unit that outputs the position informationextracted by the position information extracting unit; and an outputcontroller that performs control so that the position informationextracted by the position information extracting unit is not output tothe second output unit if the determining unit determines that thesecond input object information does not correspond to the first inputobject information.
 8. The image processing apparatus according to claim1, further comprising: a position information extracting unit thatanalyzes the information image read by the second reading unit, therebyextracting position information; a second output unit that outputs theposition information extracted by the position information extractingunit; and an output controller that performs control so that theposition information extracted by the position information extractingunit is not output to the second output unit if the determining unitdetermines that the second input object information does not correspondto the first input object information.
 9. The image processing apparatusaccording to claim 1, wherein the first reading unit and the secondreading unit read an information image using an identical reader, theimage processing apparatus further comprising: a controller thatperforms control so that the information image read by using the readeris read as an information image embedded with the first input objectinformation or an information image embedded with the second inputobject information in accordance with an operation performed by anoperator.
 10. An image processing apparatus comprising: an input objectinformation receiving unit that receives first input object informationthat identifies a first document object and second input objectinformation that identifies a second document object at a position in adocument at which information is to be handwritten on the document by aninput device of a user, the first document object and the seconddocument object having a linked relationship that indicates whetherreading of the first document object by the input device and reading ofthe second document object at the location by the input device aresequentially performed to enable the input device to add the handwritteninformation to the document; a first information image generating unitthat generates a first information image, the first information imagecomprising a two-dimensional machine-readable code of the first objectinformation; a second information image generating unit that generates asecond information image, the second information image comprising atwo-dimensional machine-readable code of the second object information;a first combining unit that embeds the first information image generatedby the first information image generating unit with one of (i) firstdocument data of a first document including the first document objectand excluding the second document object and (ii) combined document dataof a combined document including the first document object and thesecond document object; a second combining unit that embeds the secondinformation image generated by the second information image generatingunit with one of (i) second document data of a second document includingthe second document object and excluding the first document object andthe combined document data of the combined document including the firstdocument object and the second document object; and an output unit thatoutputs one of (i) the combined document including the first documentobject, the second document object, the embedded first informationimage, and the embedded second information image and (ii) the firstdocument including the first document object and excluding the seconddocument object embedded first information image and the second documentincluding the second document object and excluding the first documentobject having the embedded second information image.
 11. Anon-transitory computer readable medium storing an image processingprogram causing a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:receiving first input object information that identifies a firstdocument object and second input object information that identifies asecond document object at a position in a document at which informationis to be handwritten on the document by an input device of a user, thefirst document object and the second document object having a linkedrelationship that indicates whether reading of the first document objectby the input device and reading of the second document object at thelocation by the input device are sequentially performed to enable theinput device to add the handwritten information to the document;generating a first information image, the first information imagecomprising a two-dimensional machine-readable code of the first objectinformation; generating a second information image, the secondinformation image comprising a two-dimensional machine-readable code ofthe second object information; embedding the first information imagewith one of (i) first document data of a first document including thefirst document object and excluding the second document object and (ii)combined document data of a combined document including the firstdocument object and the second document object; embedding the secondinformation image with one of (i) second document data of a seconddocument including the second document object and excluding the firstdocument object and (ii) the combined document data of the combineddocument including the first document object and the second documentobject; and outputting one of (i) the combined document including thefirst document object, the second document object, the embedded firstinformation image, and the embedded second information image and (ii)the first document including the first document object and excluding thesecond document object having the embedded first information image andthe second document including the second document object and excludingthe first document object having the embedded second information image.12. An image processing method comprising: receiving first input objectinformation, which is information about an input object in a document;generating a first information image, which is an image representinginformation, on the basis of the received first input objectinformation; generating a second information image, which is an imagerepresenting information, on the basis of position informationrepresenting a position in the document and second input objectinformation corresponding to the received first input objectinformation; combining the generated first information image with thedocument; combining the generated second information image with adocument; outputting the document combined with the first informationimage and the document combined with the second information image ontorespective media, or outputting a document combined with the firstinformation image and the second information image onto a medium;reading the first information image that has been output onto a mediumand that includes the first input object information; reading the secondinformation image that has been output onto a medium and that includesthe position information and the second input object information;analyzing the first information image and the second information image,thereby extracting the first input object information and the secondinput object information; and comparing the extracted first input objectinformation and second input object information, thereby determiningwhether or not the second input object information corresponds to thefirst input object information.